ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), has called for stronger collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that insecurity, political violence and electoral malpractice remain major threats to credible polls.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, in Abuja, where he disclosed that preparations for the 2027 elections had already commenced.
According to INEC, the presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.
Amupitan described security as both the “first mile and the last mile” of the electoral process, stressing that the success of the elections would depend heavily on effective security coordination.
He noted that the release of the election timetable, alongside ongoing political activities such as party congresses and conventions, had already activated the political atmosphere nationwide and raised fresh security concerns.
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“The scale of insecurity across various parts of the country presents a threat to the conduct of free and fair elections. It is essential that we carry out thorough security risk analyses ahead of the elections,” Amupitan said.
The INEC chairman warned that vote buying, electoral violence, intimidation and other forms of malpractice continued to weaken public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
He called for proactive intelligence gathering and detailed risk assessments to identify flashpoints before violence erupts.
Amupitan also highlighted the importance of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, ICCES, describing it as the operational backbone for election security management.
“Our success depends on ICCES moving from reactive policing to proactive intelligence coordination,” he stated.
He further urged security agencies to pay close attention to the upcoming off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states, as well as pending bye-elections across the country.
“These elections are crucial milestones in Nigeria’s democratic journey, and it is imperative that they are conducted peacefully and seamlessly,” he added.
The INEC boss congratulated Disu on his appointment as Inspector General of Police and expressed confidence that his leadership would strengthen efforts to guarantee safe and credible elections.
Responding, the IGP assured INEC of the police force’s readiness to provide professional and impartial security throughout the electoral process.
Disu said the police had already commenced nationwide threat assessments and intelligence mapping ahead of the elections.
According to him, the force has identified political violence, illegal arms proliferation, cyber manipulation, misinformation, voter intimidation and attacks on electoral infrastructure as key threats requiring urgent attention.
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“We will ensure that we enforce electoral laws firmly and we will do it professionally,” the IGP assured.
Disu also warned that any police officer found engaging in partisan conduct or unethical practices during the elections would face disciplinary and legal consequences.
He stressed that no political party or candidate would receive preferential treatment from the force.
The police chief further revealed plans to engage political parties through peace accords and stakeholder meetings aimed at promoting peaceful conduct before, during and after the elections.
He added that officers selected for election duties would undergo intensive training on electoral security management, crowd control, human rights compliance and rules of engagement.
Disu also urged INEC to ensure early release and wider circulation of election timetables to allow adequate planning, logistics coordination and inter-agency cooperation.